1. Field of the Invention
An image input/output apparatus includes a feeder unit which feeds original-image paper to be read and sets it in a reading unit one by one, a scanner unit which performs a reading operation, a storage unit which stores read image data, a paper-feeding tray unit which feeds printing paper and sets it in a writing unit, a plotter unit which performs a writing operation, a paper-ejecting bin unit which is used for distributing and putting printed paper thereon, and so forth. Software for controlling the hardware components, which are mounted in OA (Office Automation) equipment, such as the above-described image input/output apparatus, is divided into a plurality of software components. The present invention relates to a control system, and, in particular, to a control system which controls such OA equipment by running the plurality of software components cooperatively.
2. Description of the Related Art
As such a kind of control system in the related art, for example, a charging system is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 8-6660 filed on Jun. 23, 1994.
This system is a charging system which obtains charging information for each user by totalizing utilization states of a computer system individually for each user. This charging system is provided with software-charging managing means which cumulatively adds utilization values of necessary existent software components to the above-mentioned charging information when a newly designed software product is produced.
The charging system for the computer system has a hardware arrangement which mainly includes a central processing unit, a user operation terminal for a user to input instructions for a software-merging operation, a produced-by-user-software storage unit for storing software which the user has produced, a software-component storage unit for storing existent software components which are used by the user, a charging-information storage unit for storing charging information for each user, a merged-software storage unit for storing a software product which has undergone a merging operation, an operation system for controlling the computer system, a software merging unit which merges the software components, and a charging unit which updates the charging information for each user.
In this computer system, a software merging request and a user name, which have been input to the operating system from the user operation terminal via a signal line, are transmitted to the software merging unit from the operating system via a signal line.
In response thereto, first, the software merging unit reads software, which was produced by the user and will be merged, from the produced-by-user-software storage unit via a signal line. Then, the software merging unit analyzes the thus-read software, obtains software components which are necessary for producing an intended software product, and reads all the thus-obtained necessary software components and the utilization charges as well, which utilization charges were prescribed for these software components from the software-component storage unit via a signal line.
Then, the software merging unit sums all the thus-read utilization charges, and informs the charging unit, via a signal line, of the thus-obtained sum and the user name, received from the operation system. Then, the software merging unit merges the software produced by the user and the necessary software components, and stores the thus-produced software in the merged-software storage unit.
Finally, the charging unit reads, from the charging-information storage unit, the charging information for the user of the user name, which the charging unit was informed of, cumulatively adds the utilization charges to the charging information, which utilization charges the charging unit was informed of, and stores the thus-obtained new charging information in the charging-information storage unit via a signal line.
In a control system in the related art, each function is charged, and the same charge is charged for the same function even if completely different devices are used for executing the function. As a result, a user is required to pay the fixed charge regardless of a matter as to which devices are actually used.
Further, because a counter is not provided for each hardware component, the utilization charge is charged regardless of a matter as to whether or not particular hardware components are actually used. As a result, a user is required to pay the fixed utilization charge regardless of a matter as to which software components are actually run.
The present invention is directed to eliminating these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a control system which charges for each software component of software which is incorporated in OA equipment or the like so that it is possible that a user pays charges in accordance with a matter as to which devices are actually used.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a control system by which it is possible that a user pays charges for the software components which are actually run.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a control system by which charging can be appropriately performed even when a charging method is changed due to replacement or upgrade of any particular software component, or expansion of a function or a special order for an individual function of a product itself is requested and achieved.
A control system, according to the present invention comprises:
at least one storage unit in which software is stored, the software being divided into a plurality of software components; and
at least one CPU which controls hardware components of an image processing apparatus by running the plurality of software components cooperatively,
wherein each software component of the plurality of software components has a charging function such that a charge for the software component is cumulatively increased according to a state in which the software component is run.
In this arrangement, the charge for each software component is cumulatively increased in accordance with a state in which the software is run, and charging is managed for each software component of the software incorporated in the image processing apparatus. As a result, it is possible that a user pays charges in accordance with a matter as to which devices are actually used.
Further, as a result of the charge for each software component being cumulatively increased in accordance with a state in which the software is run, it is possible that a user pays the appropriate utilization charges only for the software components which are actually run.
Further, charging can be appropriately performed even when a charging method is changed due to replacement or upgrade of any particular software component, or expansion of a function or a special order for an individual function of the product (image processing apparatus) itself which is requested and achieved.
Specifically, in the related art, charging is performed for a function. As a result, when different software components are run for executing the same function, the same charging is performed. In the present invention, such a problem is eliminated. In the present invention, regardless of a matter as to which function (a composite apparatus of copier, facsimile machine, printer, and so forth has many functions) the software components are run for, charging can be managed for each software component.
Each software component of the plurality of software components may have a data structure which includes a component identifier which is previously registered for the software component, and a unit price which is added to the charge for the software component each time the software component is run.
In this arrangement, the charge for each software component is cumulatively increased each time the software is run by using the unit price, and charging is managed for each software component of the software incorporated in the image processing apparatus through the component identifier. As a result, it is possible that a user pays charges in accordance with a matter as to which devices are actually used.
Further, as a result of the charge for each software component being cumulatively increased each time the software is run by using the unit price, it is possible that a user pays the appropriate utilization charges only for the software components which are actually run.
Further, by replacing or changing the unit price or the component identifier (component ID), charging can be appropriately performed even when a charging method is changed due to replacement or upgrade of any particular software component, or expansion of a function or a special order for an individual function of the product (image processing apparatus) itself which is requested and achieved.
Specifically, in the related art, charging is performed for a function. As a result, when different software components are run for executing the same function, the same charging is performed. In the present invention, such a problem is eliminated. In the present invention, regardless of a matter as to which function (a composite apparatus of copier, facsimile machine, printer, and so forth has many functions) the software components are run for, charging can be managed for each software component.
The plurality of software components may comprise software components, each of which is run for controlling a respective one of the plurality of hardware components.
Thereby, charging for use of the hardware components is performed as a result of the charging functions of the corresponding software components being executed, respectively. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a counter for each hardware component for charging therefor. Further, as a result of the use of the hardware components being managed through the corresponding software components, respectively, when the manner of charging for each hardware component is changed, charging for the hardware components can be appropriately performed, by appropriately changing the data of the corresponding software components.
Further, charging is performed for the hardware components in accordance with the states in which the corresponding software components are run, respectively. Thus, as a result of charging being managed for each software component of the software incorporated in the image processing apparatus, it is possible that a user pays charges in accordance with a matter as to which hardware components are actually used.
Further, as described above, charging is performed for the hardware components in accordance with the states in which the corresponding software components are run. As a result, it is possible that a user pays the appropriate utilization charges only for the software components which are actually run.
Further, charging can be appropriately performed even when a charging method is changed due to replacement or upgrade of any particular software component or any particular hardware component, or expansion of a function or a special order for an individual function of the product (image processing apparatus) itself which is requested and achieved.
Specifically, in the related art, charging is performed for a function. As a result, when different software components are run for executing the same function, the same charging is performed. In the present invention, such a problem is eliminated. In the present invention, regardless of a matter as to which function (a composite apparatus of copier, facsimile machine, printer, and so forth has many functions) a software component is run for, charging can be managed for each software component corresponding to the respective hardware component.
The charges of respective software components of the plurality of software components may be totalized as a result of instructions of the respective software components being chained.
Thereby, merely as a result of the instructions of the first software component being called for, the charges of all the respective software components are cumulatively added in sequence so that the totalization of the charges of all the respective software components is performed.
The charges of respective software components of the plurality of software components may be totalized as a result of instructions of each of the respective software components being directly called for by one of the CPU and another CPU.
A control system, according to another aspect of the present invention, comprises:
a plurality of image processing apparatuses, in each of which software is incorporated, which software is divided into a plurality of software components, which are run so that functions of the apparatus are executed, each software component of the plurality of software components having a charging function such that a charge for the software component is cumulatively increased in accordance with a state in which the software component is run; and
a service center which is connected with the plurality of image processing apparatuses, the service center totalizing, for each user, the charges of the respective software components incorporated in the plurality of image processing apparatuses.
As a result, it is possible to separate the utilization charge of each software component and the total of charges which each user is charged. This is because the charges of the respective software components are included in each apparatus of the plurality of image processing apparatuses, while the total of charges which each user is charged is included in the service center which is connected with each apparatus of the plurality of image processing apparatuses. Thereby, charging can be performed appropriately, even when the charging method in accordance with the utilization state of the user is changed due to expansion of functions and/or upgrade of apparatuses, as a result of the software components being appropriately changed, the data of the respective software components being appropriately changed, the sum of the total utilization charges of the respective apparatuses for each user being appropriately changed and/or the like.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed descriptions when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.